Railway-semaphore.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

C. W. COLEMAN. RAILWAY'SE MAPHORE. APPLIOATION FILED 001'. 31, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witneases.

PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

G. W. COLEMAN. RAILWAY SEMAPHORB.

APPLICATION FILED 00m. 31, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- Inventor." I

Wnesse s.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

CLARENCE W. COLEMAN, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THEHALLSIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

RAILWAY-SEMAPHOBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application filed. October 31, 1905. Serial No. 285,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that -I, CLARENCE WV. COLE- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at VVestfield, in the county of Union and State ofNew-Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lm rovements inRailway- Semaph ores, of whica the following is aspecification/reference being had therein to the accompanying drawingforming a part thereof.

M invention relates to semaphores such {LSlllSClOSGd in the Loree andPatenall Patent No. 7 33,981, dated July 21, 1903, wherein thesemaphore-blade moves through the upper quadrant and the weight of snowand ice upon the semaphore-blade, instead of being an element of danger,is an element of safety, increasing the normal tendency of thesernaphore to the danger position.

My invention has forits objects to provide a semaphore of this class inwhich the sign-allamp, which cooperates with the spectacles of thesemaphore to give the .light indications for night signals, is locatedon the side of the signal-post or support op osite to that at which. thesemaphore-blew is located, as in the prevailing type of signalsat'present' employed,andalsoto provide sucha semaphore in which thespectacle portion of the' semaphore, such portion being usually andgenerally termed the spectacle-casting, is located largely on the sideof the semaphorepivot o posite to that at which the semaphore-b adeis'located when the semaphore is in the position of safety indication,permitting the gravitational forces exerted by the semaphore-hladc andthe spectacle portion to be so opposed to each other that the semaphoremay he moved with a constant impelling force in all positions; and alsoto provide against the danger of disturbance of the normal tendency todanger position by reason. of the breakage of connecting. means betweenthe semaphore-bladeand spectacle, which at night would not be observableand might result in a safety night signal where a danger night signalshould be given by making such a semaphore-blade and spectacle portionintegral or in one piece, as of wrought or sheet m tal.

My inve ion also has for its object. to provide a semaphore adapted foreither two positions or three positions of. indication and ada ted forcooperation with a signal lamp heir in either one of two positions.

Other objects of my invention will appear a down rod for pus llustratedin the accompanying drawings.

I will now describe such apparatus, and will thereafter point out myinvention in claims. Figure .1. is a front elevation of a semaphore andthe upper part of its supporting post, with. the semaphore in the dangerposition. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with the post in section.Figs. 4 and 5 are front elevations of the parts shown in Fig. 1,with-thesemaphore in the l'AVu other positions of indication. Fig. 4showing the'caution or distant danger position. and Fig. 5 the safety orclear position. Fig. 6 is'an enlarged vertical section of the semahore-blade taken on a plane indicated by t ,e line 66, Fig.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

1. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a semaphore 0st being of aconstruction wherein a lamp is centrally supported therein. Fig. S-is afront elevation of the same construction of semaphore, but with thestandard form of post and lamp support. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of asemaphore of the same general construction as in Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive, but

with its pivotal center differently placed and adapted for cooierationwith an up-andliing the semaphore to clear position, all other drawingsillustrating constructions wherein the semaphores are pulled to clearpositions by wires or other tension means. I i

I will first describe the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive.Here the-semaphore-post a is of standa'rd construction, as is also thesignal-lamp b, and the signal-lamp is as usual supportedon a bracket 0at the side o'f the post oppositeto that at which the semaphore-ann orsemaphore-blade d is located. The semaphore comprises thejbla'dc (Z andthe spectacle portion e, these two por tions of the semaphore being madeintegral or in one piece of sheet-metal, as sheet-iron or steel, beadedat its edges as usual in sheet metal work and having a pivot-boss fwhich may be welded or riveted. thereto. Three s ectacle-openings g, yand r, are formed in te spectacle portion, which are located so as tocooperate with the-signaldamp in the different positions of thesemaphore. Spectacles or colored or colorless glasses may be fitted inthese spectacle-opemiigs in any desired manner, or thespectacle-openings may be partly unprovided with spectacles, as may bedesired,'to adapt the semaphore touse as a three-position signal, atwo-position home-signal, a two-position distant-signal, aswitch-signal, or to any of the uses of a railway-signal. As shown, aspectacle is providedin each opening, which maybe green at g for safety,yellow at y for caution and red at 1" for danger.

With the semaphore in thesafety position, as shown in Fig. 5, the centerof gravity of thedspectacle portion e is located below the pivotalcenter of the semaphore, and as thesemaphore moves to danger posit-ion,

this center of gravity moves upward. The semaphore is secured to thesemaphoreshaft j, onwhich is also secureda crank 7c,- and an operatingwire Z'is secured to the crank and operates to pull the signal to clearunder the control of automatic'or manually operated mochanisnuas may bedesired, with lever, gas, neuma-tic, electricalor otheroperating mecanism.

.The upper vertical or clear position of the semaphore is shown in Fig.5. From this position it ravitates,v to thehorizontal or danger positionshown in 1 and its moveinent is arrested at this position by a stationary stop m on the signal-post engaging a stop-projection n, whichmay be welded to the semaphore. As will be seen, the se1na-- phore-blademoves downward in approach ng the danger position and its weight is atall times exerted in the direction of'n'iovement to the danger positionand the weight of, snow and ice upon the semaphore-blade only increasesits tendency toward the danger posi-' tion. It will also be observedthat as the semaphoremoves from the clear position to the dangerposition, the center of gravity of the semaphore-blade moves to theright with an increase ofthe distance between a vertical line passingthrough the pivotal center of the semaphore and a vertical line passingthrou h the center of gravity oft-he semaphore-bier e. Thus as thesemaphore-blade moves from the vertical to the horizontal position, theleverage of its weight increases. It will also be seen that as thesemaphore moves from the clear. position to the danger position, the'center of gravity of the spectacle portion of glasses orspectacles.

resultant force exerted upon thesemapliore ,inall positionsthereof,therebypermitting a comparatively.smalliwcight to be relied.upon tomove the signal to danger and therefore requiring the exertion oless power in clearing thesignal'and also materially diminishingthef'orce required to arrest the semaphore at the danger position and'diminishing the ar'resulting from the contact of the stopprojection, onthe semaphore. with the stationary stop on the semaphore-support.

The-construction of semaphore shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is substantiallythe same as that heretofore described except that an additionalsemaphore spectacle-opening 0 is. pro

vided whereby the semaphore is adapted for use in connection withasignal-lamp, such as A located in the usual position at the. side of.the post opposite to that atwhich the sema- *phore-bladeprojects,- asshown in Fig. 8,-or

to a signal-lamp, 'such 'as' b, lo'cated in the .ce'ntefofthepost, asshown in -F 7 ,tho, post 0/ here shown being of modified construe.-

tion to accommodate this placing of the sig-' nal lamp. To adapt it toone orthe other arrangement of signal-lamp, it is only necessary, tochange the 'In Figs. 7 and 8 theystop for the sema-v phore at dangerposition is shown as a stop screw g, which is screwed into the' post andarrests the movement of the semaphore.v by contact with the crank k.This provides a readily adjustable-stop. A' jam-nut g locks the.stop-screw in the position to which it is adjusted. i v

The construct-ion shownin Fig. 9 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to6, inclusive, in.that the semaphore is arranged for actuation'by -anup-and -down rod p, which thrusts. the

semaphore to the clear position, this modification requiring thelocationof the pivotal center of the semaphore at a-point at the left side ofthe post in order to locate the up-and..

down rod medially in the post. Here'xlthe positions pftlit colored crankk extends to the right and is thrust upward to move thesemaphore to theclear position. A slight change in the positions of the spectacles ishererequired by reason (it the alteration of the pivotal cent-er;

The actuating mechanisms for ,thesemaphores are not shown, as anyordinary 'or' suitable actuating mechanism may be em ployedf 4 it isobvious may be made in the construct-ions shown and above particularlydescribed Within the principle-and scope of my invention.

What I claim-and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is v i thatvarious" modifications 1. The combination, with" a semaphoresupport, ofa' semaphore including fasemaphore-blade and spectacle'portion, thes'em'af phore being pivotally mounted on a center at oneside ol" theblade and supported so that tively to its pivotal center so that theblade- 2. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphoreincluding a semaphore-blade and spectacle portion, the semaphore beingpivotally' mounted on a center at-one side of the blade and arrangedrelais at one side of the pivotal center and the spectacle portion islargely disposed at the other side of the pivotal center when thesemaphore is in the safety position. and so that as the blade movesdownward from the safety to the danger position, the center of gravityof the spectacle portion rises on the opposite side of the pivotalcenter and occupies, when the blade is in horizontal position, aposition at a substantial distance in the rear of the center, so thatthe/spectacle portion has a counterbalancing effect when the blade is insafety position.

3. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphore including anintegral semaphore-blade and spectacle portion, the semaphore beingpivotally mounted on a center at one side of the blade and arrangedrelatively to its pivotal center so. that the blade is at one side ofthe pivotal center and the spectacle portion .is largely disposed at theother side of the pivotal center when the semaphore is in the safetyposition and so that the blade moves downward from the safety to thedanger position.

4. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphore including asemaphore-blade and spectacle portion, the semaphore being pivotallymounted on a center at one side of the blade and supported so that theblade is located at one side of the support, a signal-lamp located atthe other side of the support, the spectacle portion of the semaphorehaving a spectacle-opening disposed so as to cooperate with the lamp,and the semaphore-blade and spectacle portion being so arrangedrelatively to the ivotal center that the blade is at one side 0 theivotal center and the s ectacle portion is ar ely disposed at the ot er.side of the pivota center when the semaphore is 'in the safety positionand so that the blade moves downward ironic-the safety to the danger p0:sition.

5. The combination, with a semaphore support, of a semaphore includingan integral semaphore-blade and s ectacle portion, the semaphore beingpivota ly mounted on a center at one side of the blade and supported sothat the blade is located at one side of the support, a signal-lamplocated at the other side ofthe support, the spectacle ortion of thesemaphore having a spectac e-opening disposed so as to cooperate withthe lamp, and the semaphore-blade and spectacle 'portion being soarranged relatively to the pivotal center that the blade is at one sideof the pivotalcenter and the spectacle portion is largely disposed atthe other side of the pivotal center when the semaphore is in the safetyposition and so that the blade moves downward from the safety to thedanger position.

6. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphore including asemaphoreblade and spectacle portion, the semaphore being pivotallvmounted on a center at one side of the blade and arranged relatively toits pivotal center so that the blade is at one side of the pivotalcenter and the spectacle portion is partl at the other side of thepivotal center with its center of gravity below the ivotal center whenthe semaphore is in the safety position. and so that the lads movesdownward from the safety to the danger position and the center ofgravity of the spectacle portion moves upward during such movement.

7. The combination, with a semaphoresup ort, of a semaphore includinganintegra semaphore-blade and s ectacle portion, the semaphore beingpivota I mounted ona center at one side of the bla e and arrangedrelatively 'to its ivotal center so that the blade is at one si e of thepivotal center and the spectacle portion is part1 at the other side ofthe pivotal center wit its center of gravity below the pivotal centerwhen the semaphore is in the safety position and so that the blade movesdownward from the safety to the danger position and the center of gravitT of the spectacleiportion moves upward uring such movement.

' 8. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphore includinga semaphore-blade and spectacle portion, the semaphore being pivotallmounted on a center at one side of the bla e and supported so that theblade is located at one side of the support, a signal-lamp located atthe otherside of the support, the spectacle portion of the sema phorehaving a spectacle-opening disposed so as to cooperate with the lamp,and the semaphore-blade and spectacle portion being so arrangedrelativelyto the pivotal center that the blade is at one side of thepivotal center and the spectacle portion is partly at the other side ofthe pivotal'center with its center of gravity below the pivotal centerwhen the semaphore is in the safetyposition and,

so that theblade moves downward from the safety to the'danger positionandthe center of gravity of the spectacle p'ortiofi'i'nbves u wardduring such movement. 4

v 9. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphoreincluding'an integral semaphore-blade and spectacle portion, thesemaphore being pivotally mounted on a center at one side of the bladeand supported so that the blade is located at one side of the support, asignal-lamp located at the other sir e of the support, the spectacleportion of the semaphore having a spectacle-opening disposed so as tocooperate with the lamp, and the semaphore-blade and spectacle portionbeing so arranged relatively to the pivotal center that the blade is atone side of the pivotal' center and the s ectacle portion is partlyatthe other side 0 the pivotal center withits center of gravity belowthe pivotal center when the semaphore is in the safety position and sothat the blade moves down ward from the safety to the danger positionand the center of gravity' of the spectacle portion moves upward duringsuch movement.

10. The combination, with a semaphoresupport, of a semaphore including asemaphore-blade andspectacle portion, the semaphore being pivptallymounted on a center at one side of the blade and arranged relatively toits pivotal center so that the blade is at one side of the pivotalcenterand the spectacle portion is partly at the other side of thepivotal center when the semaphore is in the safety position and so thatthe blade moves downward from the safety to the danger position, thespectacle portion being provided with spectacle-openings adapted tocooperate with a signal-lamp. in either one of two positions and withadditional spectacleopenmgs each adapted to cooperate with a signal-lampin one only of such positions.

11. The combination, with asemaphoresupport, of a semaphore including asemaphore-blade and spectacle portion, thesemaphore being pivotallymounted on a center at one side of the blade and arranged rela tively toits pivotal center so that-the blade is at one side of the pivotalcenter and the spectacle portion is partly at the other side of thepivotal center when the sema hore is in the safety position and so thatthe lade moves downward from the safety to the danger position, thespectacle portion being providedwith spectacle-openingsadapted tocooperate with a signal-lamp at the side of the support opposite that atwhich the semahore-blade is located and also with a signalampimmediately below the pivotal center of the semaphore with additionalspectacleopenings each adapted to cooperate with a signal-lamp in oneonly of such positions, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CLARENCE W. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

HENRY D. WIiLIAMS, BERNARD CowEN.

